can't remove adware completely

[Guest]

Even though I have run 3 separate Adware removal programs, when I do a Norton Anti-virus scan I still have 58 files at risk. How can I get these at risk files off my computer?

Thanks

 

[Jose Francisco]

Greetings,

Try reading this article on how to completely get rid of ad-ware:
http://users.onvol.net/118226-2/xpez/articles/remove_spyware.html

Thanks and best of luck!

--
Jose Francisco
http://www.xpez.tk
Still got problems - Email me!
chicofar at onvol dot net

Even though I have run 3 separate Adware removal programs, when I do a

Norton Anti-virus scan I still have 58 files at risk. How can I get these
at risk files off my computer?

 

[Chuck]

Even though I have run 3 separate Adware removal programs, when I do a Norton Anti-virus scan I still have 58 files at risk. How can I get these at risk files off my computer?

Thanks

Dorie,

Adware / spyware is nasty stuff to get rid of. Some detail in your problem
report would be helpful. What 3 separate programs have you run? What adware is
NAV identifying on your computer?

Try one or more of these free online virus scans, which should complement NAV:
<http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php>
<http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan>
<http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/>
<http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp>

Now check for, and learn to defend against, additional problems. Have you
downloaded these programs before? Download them again, as the latest version
may be needed to keep up with the current level of malware being attempted
constantly - get the absolutely most current version of each product listed.
They're all free - and most pretty small, so they download quickly enough.

Start by downloading each of the following free tools:
AdAware <http://www.lavasoftusa.com/>
CWShredder <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4086.html>
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearch (v1/v2) MiniRemoval
<http://www.majorgeeks.com/download4113.html>
HijackThis <http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=3155>
LSP-Fix and WinsockLSPFix <http://www.cexx.org/lspfix.htm>
Spybot S&D <http://www.safer-networking.org/index.php?page=download>
Stinger <http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Install and run Stinger.
<http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger>

Install and run AboutBuster.
<http://www.downloads.subratam.org/AboutBuster.zip>

Create a separate folder for HijackThis, such as C:\HijackThis - copy the
downloaded file there. AdAware and Spybot S&D have install routines - run them.
The other downloaded programs can be copied into, and run from, any convenient
folder.

Start by closing all Internet Explorer and Outlook windows, and running
CoolWWWSearch.SmartSearchMiniRemoval, then CWShredder. Have the latter fix all.

Next, run AdAware. First update it ("Check for updates now"), configure for
full scan (<http://www.lavahelp.com/howto/fullscan/>), then scan ("Start" - "Use
custom scanning options" - "Next"). When scanning finishes, select everything,
and hit Next again.

Next, run Spybot S&D. First update it ("Search for updates"), then run a scan
("Check for problems"). Trust Spybot, and delete everything ("Fix Problems")
that is displayed in Red.

Then, run HijackThis ("Scan"). Do NOT make any changes immediately. Save the
HJT Log.
<http://forums.spywareinfo.com/index.php?showtopic=227>

Finally, have your HJT log interpreted by experts at one or more of the
following security forums (and post it, or a link to your forum posts, here):
Aumha: <http://forum.aumha.org/index.php>
Net-Integration: <http://forums.net-integration.net/>
Spyware Info: <http://forums.spywareinfo.com/>
Spyware Warrior: <http://spywarewarrior.com/index.php>
Tom Coyote: <http://forums.tomcoyote.org/>
Wilders Security<http://www.wilderssecurity.com/>

If removal of any spyware affects your ability to access the internet (some
spyware builds itself into the network software, and its removal may damage your
network), run LSP-Fix and / or WinsockXPFIx.

Finally, improve your chances for the future.

Harden your browser. There are various websites which will check for
vulnerabilities, here are three which I use.
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/
http://bcheck.scanit.be/bcheck/
https://testzone.secunia.com/browser_checker/

Block Internet Explorer ActiveX scripting from hostile websites (Restricted
Zone).
<https://netfiles.uiuc.edu/ehowes/www/main.htm> (IE-SpyAd)

Set up blocking of known dangerous scripts from installing.
<http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/spywareblaster.html>

Block known spyware from installing.
<http://www.wilderssecurity.net/spywareguard.html>

Make sure that the spyware detection / protection products that you use are
reliable:
http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm

Harden your operating system. Check at least monthly for security updates.
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/

Block possibly dangerous websites with a Hosts file. Three Hosts file sources I
use:
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html
http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.htm
(The third is included, and updated, with Spybot (see above)).

Maintain your Hosts file (merge / eliminate duplicate entries) with:
eDexter <http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/get_hosts.html>
Hostess <http://accs-net.com/hostess/>

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your help. I am going to try the suggestions on the link you've given me.

 

[Guest]

The programs I have run so far are AdAware 6.0, NoAdware, and Spyhunter. I have had Spyhunter on my computer for some time now, but since it was not cleaning everything off my computer, I removed it and downloaded AdAware and NoAdware this weekend. After running both spyware removal programs, I ran Norton - that's when I saw there were still 58 at risk files.

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I am going to try them and see if it fixes my problems.

Dorie

 

[Chuck]

The programs I have run so far are AdAware 6.0, NoAdware, and Spyhunter. I have had Spyhunter on my computer for some time now, but since it was not cleaning everything off my computer, I removed it and downloaded AdAware and NoAdware this weekend. After running both spyware removal programs, I ran Norton - that's when I saw there were still 58 at risk files.

Thank you so much for your suggestions. I am going to try them and see if it fixes my problems.

Dorie

Dorie,

Good luck.

NoAdware may not be a good tool.
<http://www.spywarewarrior.com/rogue_anti-spyware.htm>

Remember to run HJT (the best tool overall), then post a link here to your HJT
log if you wish.

Cheers,
Chuck
Paranoia comes from experience - and is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[Guest]

I have removed NoAdware from my computer. I am currently running the bitdefender scan that you suggested, and it has found several items in the noadware folder that are suspicious. It's so hard to know which programs are really helping you and which programs are only making your problems worse.

Thanks again for letting me know about NoAdware. I will make sure not to download that one again.

Dorie

 

[Hilary Karp]

Chuck, it's not a good idea to suggest that HiJackThis logs be posted
here. The board would get inundated with them. There are special
forums just for this. It's best to refer the OP to one of these forums.

 

[Hilary Karp]

Dorie, don't post the HiJackThis log to this forum. There are specialty
forums better suited to help with this type of problem. Here are some
of them:

Forums to Intrepret HijackThis Logs:

http://www.spywareinfo.com/forums/
http://forum.aumha.org/viewforum.php?f=30
http://forums.tomcoyote.org/
http://www.wilderssecurity.com/

Make sure to download the run these other programs. Udpate them frist
after installing and run them in safe mode. To enter safe mode, restart
the computer and when the bios screen flashes tap the f8 key repeatedly
to get the safe mode menu. Select safe mode and hit enter.

Cwshredder
http://209.133.47.200/~merijn/files/CWShredder.exe

Spybot Search and Destroy
http://www.safer-networking.org

Bazooka Adware and Spyware Scanner
http://download.com.com/3000-2144-10247783.html

After your system is clean use these programs to help keep it clean:

Spywareblaster
www.javacoolsoftware.com/sbdownload.html

Spywareguard
http://www.javacoolsoftware.com/sgdownload.html

IE-SPYAD
http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~ehowes/resource.htm

 

[Hilary Karp]

Dorie I forgot to mention running several of the online virus scan engines:

Bit Defender Online Virus Scan:
http://www.bitdefender.com/scan/license.php

Symantec Online Virus and Security Scan:
http://security.symantec.com/ssc/home.asp

TrendMicro:
http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp

McAfee Online Virus Scan:
http://www.mcafee.com/myapps/mfs/default.asp

Panda ActiveScan
http://www.pandasoftware.com/activescan/com/activescan_principal.htm

RAV AntiVirus - Scan Online
http://www.ravantivirus.com/scan/

McAfee Stinger, Downloadable Virus Scanner:
http://us.mcafee.com/virusInfo/default.asp?id=stinger

Make sure you have a firewall active at all times. If nothing else use
the one built into XP, but there are a variety of free third party ones
that do a better job from Sygate, Zone Alarm or Kerio.

Sygate Personal Firewall
http://smb.sygate.com/products/spf_standard.htm

Zone Alarm
http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/company/products/znalm/freeDownload.jsp?lid=staticcomp_za

Kerio Personal Firewall
http://www.kerio.com/kpf_download.html

Lastly check your system for vulnerabilities. Make sure you have all
the latest security patches from Windows Update too.

Websites which will check for vulnerabilities:

Browser Security Tests:
http://www.jasons-toolbox.com/BrowserSecurity/

Symantec Security Check
http://security.symantec.com/sscv6/default.asp?langid=ie&venid=sym

 

[Alex Nichol]

The programs I have run so far are AdAware 6.0, NoAdware, and Spyhunter. I have had Spyhunter on my computer for some time now, but since it was not cleaning everything off my computer, I removed it and downloaded AdAware and NoAdware this weekend. After running both spyware removal programs, I ran Norton - that's when I saw there were still 58 at risk files.

I suggest you also go to www.aumha.org/a/parasite.htm and use the links
there for CWShredder and for Spybot Search and destroy. And a general
read. Also go to www.lavasoftusa.com and get the VX2 plug in for
Adaware.

 

[Guest]

May I get alittle advice in this conversation on adware. I got it somehow
recently and although i never ever download anything i even think might have
anything bad my son goes to alot of sports sites and also downloads wall
paper for his desk top. But anyway i got thi8s slimy adware in the last 2
weeks . Im not to computer smart so be gentle lol. I to tried adaware and
once it fins the adware and then perplexed as to what to do. Do i remove it
not knowing if im ridding the computer of something important attatched to
the culprit. And when i hit qurantine it says name the file, and im
scratching my head thinking name a file???? Other spy and adware programs
you just hit romove or qurantine and swoosh its gone to jail or
removed,hellllp